Goat •

Milk •

Love

Nestled between the Tug Hill Plateau and the Adirondacks Mountains, tucked within the Black River Valley you will find Hidden Pastures Dairy. This quaint little goat farm is run by the husband and wife team of Andrew and Blake Place. Read More

Want to Become a Retailer or Distributor?

Our Story

Nestled between the Tug Hill Plateau and the Adirondacks Mountains, tucked within the Black River Valley you will find Hidden Pastures Dairy. This quaint little goat farm is run by the husband and wife team of Andrew and Blake Place. The Place family built their goat dairy farm from an idle dairy farm parcel. They worked day in and day out to create a parlor, milkhouse and create the set up needed to milk their goats. The family has a few growing kids of their own who help out around the farm and work with the animals. The farm is a Grade A dairy facility and is able to ship milk to neighboring creameries. In 2012 Blake started dabbling with the idea of making goat milk ice cream and in the Spring of 2018 Hidden Pastures Dairy launched their Goat Milk Gelato product using their farm fresh goat milk.

Blake and Andrew both grew up on dairy cow farms and both completed animal science degrees through Cornell University. Hidden Pastures Dairy participates in NYSSGHAP or New York State Sheep and Goat Health Assurance Program. The farm works with several veterinarians and both owners have over 20 years of combined professional experience in the agriculture industry. Hidden Pastures Dairy has been the host to several educational workshops. Hidden Pastures Dairy has also worked with the local Veterinary Practices program through their BOCES, as well as worked with their local Cornell Cooperative Extension programs of Lewis, Jefferson and St. Lawrence County.

Got Some Questions?

Why Goat Milk?

First of all, goats are some of the sweetest, most curious and awesomely animated animals around. That is why we chose to raise goats. The milk itself is also an easy choice. Goat milk is very comparable to cow milk nutritionally, with nearly identical amounts of fat and protein per serving. The big difference is the digestibility of goat milk, compared to cow milk. Goat milk is easier for most people to digest. The fat molecules are smaller compared to those found in cow milk, and make for much quicker absorption through the digestive tract. Many people do very well with goat milk, even if they are allergic or intolerant to cow milk, thanks to the different composition of goat milk.

Why Gelato?

People can make cheese, yogurt, ice cream and even soap with goat milk. We chose to craft gelato, resulting in a very mild dairy flavor. The cream that is produced in the milk stays in the milk and contributes to the delicious flavors without overpowering them. We do not add any extra cream to the gelato, like one might in ice cream, which means the overall fat content is lower than what you find in ice cream. (What this really translates to is that you can basically devour a whole pint of gelato with no regrets). The gelato is silky, creamy and absolutely delicious. Gelato is traditionally served at warmer temperatures than that of ice cream. We encourage you to leave your pint out for 15 minutes or so before scooping. (If you live in a tropical climate, we really do not know how long you should keep it out. We think it is awesome you live somewhere warm though).

What Does Goat Milk Taste Like?

It tastes like milk. Slightly sweet and perfectly creamy. The handling of milk and processing can change the flavor slightly so we treat ours like it is liquid gold. We keep our milk cold and fresh, and we handle it very carefully. We use milking machines and a closed system, reducing the chance of milk coming into contact with the air. This keeps it tasting naturally sweet and fantastic.